Mercury (phase-out) is in the air

Manila — The summer steaming heat alternated by constant rain may just be the condition needed for mercury to vaporize. But no need to worry, mercury phase-out is in the air this World Environment Day as Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA) gains two more partners in phasing-out mercury in health care.

Barely three months before the deadline of mercury phase-out in all Philippine health care facilities and institutions, Collins International Trading Corp (CITC), a distributor of mercury alternatives in health care and Watsons Personal Care Stores (Phil.), Inc have teamed-up with HCWH-SEA in intensifying campaign to put mercury devices to a rest and provide alternatives to health care facilities and the general public.

“Now that we are nearing the September 2010 deadline as prescribed by Department of Health (DoH) Administrative Order 21, we want both the health care sector and the general public to know why we are phasing out mercury devices, what are the dangers of continuous use, the alternatives available and guidelines on temporary storing old mercurial devices both at home and in the health care setting,” said Faye Ferrer, HCWH-SEA Program Officer for Mercury in Health Care in the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing between the three parties. “We want this information available to as many people as possible.”

Early this year, HCWH-SEA in partnership with the DoH-Center for Health Development (CHD) conducted regional conferences on mercury phase-out in health care in all the regions in the country. The conferences were attended by public and private health units, as well as local government unit (LGU)-controlled health facilities. 

“Knowing the dangers of mercury, the public are keen to find available alternatives,” Ferrer said. “We do not just say, stop using mercury devices. We present viable alternatives.” At the regional conferences, distributors of mercurial alternatives were present to show the varied choices as well as respond to queries on accuracy and affordability of the device. 

Preventing the mercury poison

“As a distributor of household and medical products, it is in the core vision of CITC to deliver carefully chosen quality products at reasonable prices in order to uplift the living and working standards of our clientele,” said Omron Healthcare Brand Marketing Manager Julie Lee.

“We do not want the irreversible damage of mercury exposure in our conscience. We do not want to cause it or to be an accessory to the crime of mercury poisoning,” Lee lamented.

“Although irreversible, the damage is preventable,” Lee pointed out. CITC, ever since acquiring Omron, has never distributed any mercurial healthcare devices and recently have been actively supporting the campaign on mercury phase-out. Omron is the medical product being distributed by CITC.

Although regularly faced with questions of accuracy and affordability of mercurial alternatives, Collins are keen on guiding their clients in its transition to mercury-free devices.

“Stories of health care facilities who have successfully shifted to mercury-free devices should inspire others to make the switch,” Ferrer said. “We cannot always go back to mercury devices just because one alternative failed our test. We need to continue testing more alternatives until we get the best one.”

According to AO 21, each hospital will designate a Mercury Management Team to study the alternatives.

Mercury-Free Watsons

Watsons Personal Care Stores Phils., on the other hand, has bid mercury-containing equipment such as thermometers and blood pressure monitors goodbye in its 176 stores around the country.

Flyers on mercury—its toxicity and tips on handling mercury spillage—will be distributed in all the stores. While a public service announcement (PSA) with HCWH-SEA and VJ Juddha Paolo will be played in all Watsons’ TV screens.

The mercury phase-out campaign has gained the support of celebrities VJ Juddha Paolo and Albert Martinez.

“With 176 stores all over the country and an average of hundred customers daily, we will reach 176,000 people everyday. We hope that they will share what they have learned to their friends and family who will then pass it on forward to more people,” said Robert U. Sun, Chief Operating Officer of Watsons Personal Care Stores (Phils.), Inc.

“This is our own way of contributing to environmental health,” he added.

Watsons pharmacists and pharmacy assistants will be given training materials on the harmful effects of mercury-containing devices. “We will guide our staff on the dangers of mercury and encourage them to actively explain this to customers,” said Sun. “The more contagious the information is, the better.”

Watsons is donating 1,000 thermometers to 50 government hospitals while CITC is donating 5,000 digital thermometers to HCWH partner hospitals.

Moving forward mercury phase-out

“We need to create this level of awareness in order for things to move forward,” said Ferrer. “Mercury phase-out does not stop with the phase-out per se. We need to provide alternatives. We need to find an intermediate disposal for all the phased-out devices.”

HCWH-SEA, DoH and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) are in the process of discussing intermediate disposal for mercury and importation ban on mercury. Likewise, HCWH-SEA is involved with a United Nations Development Programme-Global Environment Facility (UNDP-GEF) Project which targets to identify a possible intermediate disposal area for mercury.

“Partnership with private enterprises like Collins International and Watsons are also very helpful, as well as working with concerned government agencies and officials,” Ferrer added.

HCWH-SEA earlier asked the presidential aspirants to support mercury phase-out thru the Green Health Covenant. Only five have expressed support including president-in-waiting Senator Noynoy Aquino.

“We are also looking at national and international policies that will cover all aspects of the mercury issue,” Ferrer said.

“Our responsibility will not stop with this partnership. We will continue to support other endeavors with regards to providing quality service and products that is safe for the people and the environment,” said Lee. “This will be an unwritten rule for Collins-Omron: do no harm.”

“If we can influence people thru this partnership, then we are not far off from the goal of a mercury-free Philippines,” said Sun.